Thai Prison Boxing Movie ‘Champion’ in the Works at Storyscape

Storyscape Entertainment’s Bob Cooper and Richard Saperstein have partnered with Robert Kravis and Karl Herrmann of Pioneer Pictures on “Champion,” an action-thriller in the world of Thai prison fighting.

Tyler Mitchell, who developed the project while working with Cooper at Landscape Entertainment, will also produce.

Gary Scott Thompson, whose credits include the original “The Fast and the Furious,” “Hollow Man” and NBC’s “Las Vegas,” wrote the original screenplay. The story, based on real events, explores a centuries-old tradition within Thailand’s prison system where inmates compete in state-sanctioned Muay Thai tournaments to win early release.

“Champion” follows the journey of an American who is locked up overseas and must learn Muay Thai in order to fight for his freedom.

Storyscape Entertainment has a first-look feature deal with Broad Green Pictures. The company is also developing “FBI Wedding” at Universal with Jason Bateman starring and directing, and “The War Magician” at StudioCanal with Benedict Cumberbatch starring and producing.

Saperstein recently began pre-production on a remake of “The Blob” and Cooper is in post-production on “Maudie,” starring Ethan Hawke and Sally Hawkins.

Kravis and Herrmann are also producing “Titan,” a biopic of John D. Rockefeller, Sr. and the Standard Oil Co., based on the biography by Ron Chernow.